More than 4,000 individuals attended the annual event, during which more than 150,000 lights strung across eight acres were lit to signify the start of the holiday season. Transcendence Theatre Company, a local theatre company comprised of acclaimed performers, many of which have been in Tony Award®-winning Broadway shows, performed during the lighting ceremony singing several holiday classics. Preceding the lighting ceremony at 4 p.m., the City of Sonoma hosted a tribute to the hundreds of first responders who worked tirelessly to fight the wildfires that spread across wine country in October. Locals and visitors honored these heroes while also enjoying an evening of entertainment and holiday cheer.

Funded by the Sonoma Tourism Improvement District (Sonoma TID), the lights on the plaza will be lit following sunset every evening through January 2, 2018.

And, new for the holiday season, Experience Sonoma Valley, California recently partnered with Sonoma County to secure a $25,000 grant from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Through the grant, holiday lights will be strung throughout the surrounding Sonoma Valley towns of Glen Ellen, Kenwood, and the Springs, extending the holiday celebration from the Historic Sonoma Plaza to all towns within the Valley.

“The goal of lighting the surrounding towns is to strengthen the Holidays in Sonoma message, while unifying areas in Sonoma Valley that were impacted by the fires,” said Jonny Westom, executive director of Experience Sonoma Valley, California. “The areas that will be lit are part of a bigger message that Sonoma Valley is welcoming visitors to enjoy each of our quaint little towns.”

Author: Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau

The Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau operates two visitor centers, one at Cornerstone Sonoma, the other on the historic Sonoma Plaza.